Shoutbox

Are you using the .co.uk site? if so then try the .com version.  Apart from that you can try 2 different things, 1 is input some fancy javascript in the address bar to add the .com option, or try going through a proxy based in the USA. Personally I feel the second is the easier of the two options (and im not sure if Microsoft has some other stuff to block out an attempt like that after the @live.com emails....).